Pain Is An Unwanted Friend
by steph84
Summary: Draco Malfoy does something despicable to Brooke Crystalline. Will Harry be there for her when she needs him the most?
1. Truthful Confessions

Sobbing, nearing the point of hysteria, Brooke Crystalline collapsed on the floor of the Gryffindor Common Room and let her disarrayed mind rest. She could hardly believe what had just happened. Looking around, she took in the familiar sights of Gryffindor's Common Room, trying to push the thoughts out of her mind.  
  
Brooke had been at Hogwarts for six years and she was in a very happy relationship with her best friend, Harry Potter. Their two friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, were also involved romantically and life seemed perfect for Brooke. She was doing great in her schoolwork and so far (unlike the other five years) the school year had gone off without a hitch. This worried Brooke a little, but she had always managed to push the feelings of dread aside. She was beautiful, with long wavy brown hair and glistening hazel eyes. Almost every boy in the school wanted her, but they knew she was off limits for she and Harry were happily involved.  
  
But one boy hadn't managed to get that fact through his head.  
  
Draco Malfoy, enemy of Harry and his friends ever since their first day at Hogwarts, had strong feelings for Brooke for as long as she could remember. He made no attempt to hide them. And the fact that Harry was her boyfriend only sparked more anger and hatred in Malfoy. Finally, it had all come out, just moments ago, when she had awaken in Malfoy's dormitory in the Slytherin tower, naked, in his bed, with Malfoy sleeping beside her. Not taking long to put two and two together, Brooke fled the tower and ran to her own Common Room where she proceeded to sob and feel drowsy from the memory spell he must have placed on her afterwards.  
  
Sitting up quickly, she decided that she needed to arrange herself in case someone walked in from dinner in the Hall. She was surprised that her friends hadn't been looking for her already. She darted up to the dormitory that she shared with Hermione and two other girls and washed her face with cold water. Changing her clothes, and burying the other ones under her mattress, she brushed her long hair and headed back downstairs.  
  
No more than ten minutes later, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Seamus Finnegan, Neville Longbottom and Colin Creevey entered the room, laughing and joking. Still feeling sick to her stomach, Brooke stood up and faked a smile at the grinning group.  
  
"Brooke! Where were you? We were worried." Harry kissed her on the cheek quickly and avoided the smirks of the other boys. Brooke just shook her head, for fear that if she spoke, she would cry uncontrollably. Hermione glanced at her friend, whom she could sense was deeply troubled. Instead of making a big fuss, she mentioned that the two girls needed to talk upstairs about an upcoming project that was due.  
  
"We'll be back down soon," she said, grabbing Brooke's hand and running up the stairs. Once in their dorms, Hermione sat down beside Brooke on the bed and put her hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"  
  
Brooke couldn't take anymore. "Oh, Hermione!" she cried. "It's awful. I did a terrible thing and the worst part is, I don't remember any of it!"  
  
Confused, Hermione tried to coax her friend into telling her details, but Brooke had to calm down first. After a few moments and deep breaths, Brooke started her tale.  
  
"I remember leaving the library just before dinner," she said, struggling to keep her voice steady. "I was walking along the library hall, heading here first to drop off my books, then to go to the Hall." Pausing to allow one of the uncanny thoughts enter her head, Brooke wondered where her books were exactly. Pushing the thought aside, she continued. "I saw Malfoy following me and it struck me as weird that he didn't have Crabbe and Goyle with him. I picked up my pace, as he was kind of freaking me out; you know how he's been the past few weeks. Anyway, he came up behind me and asked how I was. I told him curtly that I was fine and could he please leave me alone? He said he couldn't do that. I remember him firmly grabbing my arm and the next thing I knew." Brooke took a deep breath, her voice quavering, "I woke up in his bed!"  
  
Hermione's face remained like stone, but her eyes flashed in anger and for a brief moment, Brooke thought that Hermione's anger would be reflected at her. She could picture her saying, "How dare you hurt Harry?" but nothing of the sorts came out of Hermione's mouth. Instead, she hugged her friend tightly as Brooke once again let loose a torrent of tears. "You poor thing," she soothed. "How dare he do that to you?" She rocked back and forth with Brooke in her arms. "Who all knows?"  
  
Brooke sat up and wiped her tears. "You. No one else."  
  
"Surely you're going to tell the professors," Hermione requested, her eyes persistent.  
  
Brooke felt herself wavering. "I don't know," she said, reluctantly. "I don't think it's a good idea. You know how the Malfoy family is."  
  
Expecting Hermione to be furious at this announcement, Brooke winced. But upon looking at Hermione's face, she found her friend to be only hurt. "I won't tell anyone, Brooke," she promised. "But you do need to tell someone. Please. It's for your own good." Wincing herself, she said, "I especially won't tell Ron. He'll tell Harry in a heartbeat. Without meaning to, of course," she added quickly.  
  
Brooke turned away and buried her face in her pillow to smother her cries. Harry would be so upset. But as long as she didn't tell him (because it wasn't her choice anyway; it wasn't like she wanted to do it) things would be okay.  
  
Seven weeks later, Brooke wasn't too sure. She had woken up for the fifth morning in a row, feeling as if she had a major case of the stomach flu. Crawling back into bed, she watched Hermione get ready for class, a worried look on her face. "You might want to get Madam Pomfrey to look after that," she said, while brushing her hair furiously. "It can't be too healthy." Putting down her brush, she took one last look at her friend. "I'm going to tell Professor McGonagall that you're sick again," she said. "For the past few mornings, she's been asking me why you haven't been in Transfiguration. I've lied and said you weren't feeling the greatest and that you've had a headache, but today I'm going to tell her the truth."  
  
"No, Hermione, please," Brooke begged. "Don't tell her that. Just tell her that I'll be to class today, I'll just be a little late."  
  
Hermione shook her head, stubbornly. Sitting on the side of Brooke's bed, she took her hand. "I know you're scared," she whispered, "but you have to know."  
  
Brooke turned her head, tears forming in her eyes again. It had seemed like such a long time since that cold November evening when Malfoy had taken advantage of her and ever since then, she had felt and been acting strange. All it took was for Harry to tell her that she was beautiful and she would cry like a baby. If she couldn't figure out a question on her homework, she would stomp around the room, throwing objects. But worst of all, was the sickness. She had been feeling kind of slow and sluggish all the time, but often she would have to make a mad dash for the washroom, feeling as if she were going to pass out. Ron and Harry found this odd, but Hermione was downright worried. As of yet, neither of them had mentioned pregnancy, but Brooke knew it was on both of their minds.  
  
Relenting, she agreed to go to Madam Pomfrey's, as long as Hermione told Professor McGonagall that she was in the hospital wing and she would be in class as soon as she was finished. Giving her one last hug before leaving, Hermione looked a little less worried, knowing that Brooke would be in good hands.  
  
Still lying in bed five minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Harry poked his head in and Brooke cried, "Harry! What are you doing here? You know you're not allowed in here."  
  
"Has that ever stopped me before?" Harry said grinning from ear to ear. Closing the door behind him, he sat down on the side of Brooke's bed and smoothed her hair out of her face. "Are you okay?" he asked her with genuine concern. Brooke knew that he had been worried and it pained her to know that if she were pregnant, how much it would hurt him. Pulling his hand away from her face, she nodded and looked away.  
  
"You're going to be late for class. I'm going to see Madam Pomfrey today about why I feel this way."  
  
Harry nodded, holding her hand. He gently leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll come see you later," he promised and left the room, leaving Brooke feeling worse than ever.  
  
An hour later, she sat on a bed in the hospital wing, being poked and prodded by Madam Pomfrey. She hadn't said a word about her suspicions about why she felt this way, but she felt that Madam Pomfrey already knew. Sitting up seconds later, Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Get dressed and I will meet you in my office in five minutes," she said, her voice unusually strained.  
  
When she left, Brooke knew she didn't have to listen to Madam Pomfrey's diagnosis. But she got dressed anyway, her heart fluttering around in her chest, her stomach in complete upheavals.  
  
Five minutes later, she joined Madam Pomfrey in her office, and much to Brooke's surprise, Professor Dumbledore. Both of them wore a sour look as Brooke flopped down in the chair in front of the desk, tears streaming down her face. Without them saying a word, she confessed the whole story about Malfoy's abduction and memory charm, which left her feeling drained. Looking down at the floor, she asked, "I'm pregnant, aren't I?"  
  
Dumbledore shared a look with the hospital matron and nodded slowly. "We've never had a situation like this occur before," he said carefully. "I'm afraid to say I'm not exactly sure how to handle it. We will, however, call in Mr. Malfoy to the office here and discuss matters with him, as it is his responsibility as well."  
  
Brooke buried her head in her hands as both Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey assured her that it was not her fault, and that no one was angry with her. She kept her head down as Draco walked into the room ten minutes later, wearing a smirk. When Dumbledore informed him of the circumstances, his grin widened.  
  
"Father will be pleased," he said and Dumbledore's eyes flashed with anger.  
  
"Was this a plan you and your father hatched?" he asked Malfoy, his voice shaking in anger.  
  
Draco shook his head. "No. That was my idea. I didn't think it was any secret that I liked Brooke very much. Father will be happy that she is bearing my child, for she is also a pure-blood and that's what Father has always wanted."  
  
Although shocked by his forwardness to the school headmaster, Brooke snickered behind her hand. Wouldn't the Malfoys be in for a treat when she broke it to them that she wasn't a pureblood. Brooke's grandmother came from a Muggle family, which was a little known fact in the wizarding world. The Crystalline family came from an upstanding section of power and wealth. Despite the situation, Brooke found it funny that Malfoy thought she was a pureblood and she loved the idea of how upset he would be when he and his father found out.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I will send an owl to your father immediately, explaining that we need to see him right away. For the time being, you are suspended and will remain under constant supervision from a teacher of the school until your father arrives. You will have no contact with Miss Crystalline until matters are arranged." Clearly shaken, Dumbledore ushered Malfoy out of the room, motioning for Brooke to leave also. Following his instructions, she left the Hogwarts matron sitting at her desk in shock and headed to the only place she knew she could find solace: Harry's arms. 


	2. Coming Clean

Sneaking down the hallway to Professor McGonagall's transfiguration classroom, Brooke prayed that the teacher wouldn't spot her as she jumped up and down outside the doorway, trying to attract Harry's attention. Sitting together as a group, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Seamus were working on transfiguring a squirrel into something, but Brooke didn't know what.  
  
Ron noticed Brooke's flailing arms in the doorway and looked as if he were about to laugh. Brooke started pointing at Harry and before she could stop herself, Ron had gotten Harry's attention and Harry was making his way across the room to the doorway.  
  
"Why aren't you in bed?" he asked her, closing the door softly behind them. "Did you go see Madam Pomfrey? What did she say?"  
  
Brooke just shook her head and threw herself in Harry's arms. He held her tightly as she cried. "Let's get out of here," Harry whispered and Brooke stood up straight.  
  
"Where's Professor McGonagall? Won't she wonder why you're gone?"  
  
"Professor Dumbledore summoned her to his office a few minutes ago. She won't be back for a while. Let's go sit down by the water." He began pulling her arm but she stopped him.  
  
"I want to go to class," she said firmly. Harry gave her a questioning look, stunned by her sudden outburst and retraction of tears. Nodding stubbornly, she repeated, "I want to go to class. I want to be with all my friends."  
  
Shrugging at her odd behaviour, Harry opened the door again and Brooke joined her friends at their table. Sitting in silence, trying to dodge the obvious glances Hermione was shooting her way, Brooke was almost certain that Professor McGonagall was learning all about Malfoy's foul plan and Brooke's new condition. Her suspicions were confirmed ten minutes later when Professor McGonagall burst through the door. She addressed the class quickly, ("You may all leave early. Make sure you do your homework.") and stopped Brooke at the door.  
  
"May I speak with you a moment, Miss Crystalline?"  
  
Motioning for her friends to leave without her, Brooke stood facing Professor McGonagall. Brooke had always found her long face to be depressing and strict, but her eyes had always been kind and generous. "Let's sit down, shall we?" she said, leading Brooke gently to her desk. Facing each other from opposite sides of the desk, Professor McGonagall was the first one to speak.  
  
"Miss Crystalline," she paused, almost as if unsure what to say next. "Miss Crystalline, I'm sure you're aware that Professor Dumbledore has informed me of your condition." Brooke nodded, fighting back the tears. "And I'm sure you'll be glad to know that he and I have sent an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and I'm sure we'll have a reply in a few days.  
  
"For the time being, however, Draco Malfoy is to be held in almost a quarantine. His actions have proved that we can no longer trust him and he will be of no harm to you anymore." Brooke nodded miserably, almost unable to believe her luck. Lucius Malfoy would be thrilled at the news. What was the point in asking him to visit the castle to discuss the matter?  
  
"Brooke." Professor McGonagall's voice was soft and sympathetic. "I know you must be scared. I don't blame you. But I want you to know that you can feel free to talk to me whenever. You will be experiencing a great change in your life. A drastic change. Don't be afraid to talk to me, or Professor Dumbledore, or any of the teachers. That's what we're here for."  
  
"Who else knows?" Brooke asked quietly.  
  
"Just you, me, Draco and Professor Dumbledore, I believe. But Dumbledore is planning on holding a staff meeting later on this evening to discuss the matter."  
  
Brooke slumped down in her chair. Just what she wanted. Harry had wanted to stay out of the spotlight with their relationship, to help Brooke avoid the kind of exposure Harry had experienced ever since his debut into the wizarding world. Now she had brought more shame to him than ever before. She felt awful as she left Professor McGonagall's classroom, but not before promising her teacher that she would talk to her whenever she felt the need.  
  
Miserably, she made her way to the Common Room, sure that Ron, Hermione and Harry would be there to greet her. Unable to forget that news spread through Hogwarts rather quickly, she was convinced that by the next morning, almost every student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would know of her situation.  
  
That evening, Brooke sat in front of the fireplace, wrapped in Harry's arms, a blanket wrapped around them both. Ron and Hermione sat above them on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket as well. Seamus and Dean Thomas were involved in a game of wizard's chess and Neville Longbottom was studying his Potions text, fretting over the following day's test.  
  
Content, but also feeling sick at the thought of telling Harry what had happened, Brooke felt as if she was being torn in two. Part of her wanted to blurt out to Harry, "I'm pregnant and Malfoy's the father!" but the other part of her wanted to keep it quiet for as long as she could.  
  
Professor McGonagall appeared in the portrait hole a few minutes later. "Mr. Weasley, there are some people here to see you. They're waiting in the Entrance Hall." With that announcement, she turned on her heels and left the room, leaving Ron scrambling.  
  
"Must be Mum and Bill!" he cried, dashing for the portrait hole. Hermione followed him, leaving Harry and Brooke sitting on the floor. Brooke's mind raced with random thoughts. Should she tell Harry or not? What would Lucius say? How would Harry react? Would she stay in school? Would Harry still want her? Should she keep the baby? Could her and Harry raise her and Draco Malfoy's child in peace?  
  
All the incessant thoughts in her head must have caused her to drift off to sleep, for when she opened her eyes, the room was almost pitch black, kept lit by a few glowering embers of the fire. Turning her head around slowly, she noted that Harry, too, was asleep. Lifting her arm to see his watch, she saw that it was nearing four in the morning. Professor McGonagall always did her final check on the Common Room around midnight, to make sure everyone was in bed. Funny how she hadn't woken them. Then again, seeing as how all the teachers would now treat her as if she were glass, she wasn't surprised that the professor hadn't awakened them. Curling up against the crook of Harry's arm again, she proceeded to fall into a peaceful sleep.  
  
The following morning was Saturday and the four friends had big plans of getting ready for a picnic by the water that afternoon. However, on the way downstairs to the Great Hall for breakfast, Brooke noted that several of the students were glancing at her warily. Deciding that it was just her mind overreacting, she proceeded to ignore their stares and joked with her friends as usual.  
  
Her fears returned in full force when she entered the Great Hall. Every pair of eyes in the room swung around to watch her enter and then the whispering began. Nervously trying to drown out their voices, she said, "Maybe we should skip breakfast and head on outside to set up for the picnic."  
  
Hermione, who had already guessed the verdict from Madam Pomfrey, nodded in agreement, raising her voice to cover those of two third year Hufflepuffs. "Yes, maybe we should. Besides, it is such a lovely day outside, why would we want to waste it inside?"  
  
Before either of the boys had a chance to speak, Victor Wormlead, a seventh year Slytherin, stood up in front of the entire Great Hall and yelled, "Hey, Brooke! How's the Malfoy heir?" He patted his stomach and laughed, along with the entire Slytherin table.  
  
Glaring hatefully at Wormlead, she turned to face her friends. Harry was grinning in an odd sort of way. "What is he talking about? Or has he really just lost it?" Looking as if he would have got down on his knees and prayed for the latter part of his statement to be true, Harry waited anxiously for Brooke's answer as Ron and Hermione shared apprehensive looks.  
  
"Harry, you and I need to talk," Brooke said quietly, pulling his arm gently, "away from the crowd." She led him out into the hallway and down a few flights of stairs before stopping and facing him. Still holding on to his arm, she began to speak, but Harry never gave her a chance.  
  
"What did he mean, Brooke? The Malfoy heir? How would you know anything about Malfoy's family?" His green eyes, normally so vibrant and full of life, were dull and hurt. Pain reflected off them like green pools of water.  
  
Searching desperately for the words, Brooke let her hand slip from his arm to his hand, before dropping it completely. She turned away from him and spilled out the entire story in three long breaths. Trying to read the silence from behind her, she winced and turned around, prepared to face the wrath of fury. Instead, she faced a wall. A blank wall.  
  
"He went that way," came the voice of a portrait not far off to her right. The man in the portrait nodded his head up the staircase leading to the Gryffindor Tower. Brooke hung her head in defeat. She hadn't wanted to hurt him. It wasn't her fault. Hoping that she would wake up soon, realizing the whole nightmare didn't really happen, she pinched her arm hard. Yelping in pain, it hit home with her: she had officially screwed up.  
  
Forty minutes later, Brooke returned to the Common Room, her eyes red and swollen. Hermione was sitting on the chair by the fireplace and Ron was sitting on the footstool in front of the chair, facing Hermione. They both looked up when she entered and Ron smiled weakly. Hermione hid her face, but before she did, Brooke noticed that she, too, had been crying.  
  
"Where's Harry?" she asked softly, afraid to hear their answer.  
  
"I don't know. He came in here about half an hour ago, angrier than sin. He started throwing things around and when Seamus asked him to stop, he started yelling at Seamus. Then he just took off. Ran out the portrait hole and hasn't been back since." Smiling weakly again, Ron said, "Just give him time, Brooke. It's a big ordeal he has to face."  
  
"I know, but what about me?" Brooke hated feeling selfish but she wanted someone to hug her and comfort her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. "I'm the one whose body is changing. I'm the one whose mind is in an uproar. I'm the one who has to deal with Malfoy and his laughing goons. And I don't want to lose Harry!"  
  
"You won't lose him if you're careful," Hermione said, almost in a singsong type of voice. She sounded far away and distant. "Ron's right, Brooke. You just have to give him time. Yes, you were deceived. But so was Harry. You took your time in coming to grips with it; now he needs his time."  
  
Wanting to protest further, but deciding against it, Brooke thanked her friends and retreated to her dormitory, hoping that it would be empty for a while yet. She just didn't feel like talking to anyone.  
  
Days passed before anyone even saw Harry. Brooke suspected that Seamus, Dean and Neville had seen him on several occasions, but they wouldn't share it with Brooke, and she didn't blame them. Neville gave her these sad little looks whenever she was around him and Seamus kept telling her that everything would be all right, but Brooke had a hard time facing that.  
  
Both Harry and Brooke had been out of classes the three days after that Saturday. When Harry finally came around, in the Great Hall during a school assembly, he looked as if he had gotten lost in the Forbidden Forest. Fighting the urge to run to him, Brooke turned the other way. Professor Dumbledore had told her only hours ago that Lucius and his wife were on their way to the school and would arrive in less than three hours. Their meeting would commence then. But first, he told her, he had to deal with the school assembly.  
  
Harry took a seat beside Ron, who sat beside Hermione, who was sitting beside Brooke. Trying not to feel too overwhelmed, Brooke tried to pay attention to what Dumbledore was saying about trying times and such. Voldemort was back, everyone knew that by now, and his rise to power had failed on several attempts. This news was greeting with happiness and joy, but Brooke's area of the table remained silent.  
  
"I understand that everyone now knows about the strange occurrences in our midst," Dumbledore began, avoiding looking at Brooke. He glanced at the empty spot where Draco would usually sit. "And I would like to remind everyone that if the news does not concern you, please don't concern yourself with it. Some events have taken place recently in the school that involve no more than two people directly. Those two people are handling this situation very well and one of them exceptionally well." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at Brooke and she stared down at the table. When she glanced up again, she turned to face Hermione. She caught Harry staring at her from down the table and he made no move to look away. She caught his eye and for a few seconds, it seemed as if nothing had changed between them.  
  
The Great Hall door burst open, causing everyone to turn and look. Lucius Malfoy strutted in, his wife behind him and Draco at his side. Stopping to glare hatefully at Brooke, Lucius continued to the front. "How dare you?" he spat at Professor Dumbledore. "Keeping my son locked up as a prisoner!"  
  
"For your son's actions, he is quite lucky I didn't send him to Azkaban," Dumbledore replied in his calm voice.  
  
The blond haired lady stepped up from behind Lucius. "My son did nothing wrong!" she cried. "It is hardly his fault that this.tramp threw herself at him and wound up in this situation. Don't punish our son for that.evil temptress." "Oh!" Brooke jumped up from her place at the Gryffindor table and charged towards the Malfoys at the front of the Hall. "Oh, whatever!" She pushed aside her fellow classmates who were brave enough to try and stop her and she reached the front of the Hall in record time. "Whatever!" she screamed. "I'm the tramp? Yeah? Your son is the one who cast a spell on me to knock me out!"  
  
Narcissa laughed. "I find that highly unlikely," she chortled. "I also find it sad that you tell everyone that my son came to you. He would much rather be with someone of, shall we say, higher standards?"  
  
Brooke saw red in her rage, but keeping her voice steady, she replied, "Shouldn't you also find it sad, then, that the only girl your son can get is one that is unconscious?"  
  
Narcissa's temper flared as she struck out at Brooke. Ducking, Brooke grabbed her wand from the inside of her robes. Pointing it directly at Draco's throat, she spoke calmly. "You cost me everything that matters to me. You took my dignity, my pride, and my innocence. You took away my right to respect myself. You took away my right to respect and trust other people. But most of all, you took away the one person I truly love and the one person that loved me back for who I am. And that cannot be forgiven."  
  
"Brooke, I don't think you should do that."  
  
Brooke turned towards the familiar voice and saw her father and mother heading up the aisle towards her. The rest of the Hall started to murmur in excitement; some shifted in their seats to get a better view. This was better than a movie!  
  
Slipping her wand out of her hand quietly, Mr. Crystalline waved it at Lucius gently. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Lucius Malfoy. We meet again."  
  
"Shane Crystalline. Yes, indeed, it has been a long time. How have you been?"  
  
Ignoring Lucius' obvious attempts to cover up his embarrassment, Brooke's father started to circle the Malfoy family. Mrs. Crystalline came up behind Brooke and hugged her daughter protectively. Feeling another hand on her back, Brooke turned around to face Harry. Smiling, he held her tightly as the two fathers glared at each other, agreeing that it was not the time, nor place to be discussing matters.  
  
A groan welled up from the centre of the room and Dumbledore ushered everyone out of the Hall. "Minerva, please direct them to my office," he said as he instructed the rest of the school to head to their dormitories. Meeting eyes with Ron and Hermione, Brooke and Harry smiled.  
  
"I don't think Harry Potter needs to assist us in our decision," Lucius said, glaring at Harry. But his protests went unheard as Professor McGonagall lead the bickering group to Professor Dumbledore's office. 


	3. Agony

Once everyone was seated in the office, Harry and Brooke side by side, Professor McGonagall stood beside Dumbledore's chair, awaiting his entrance. They did not have to wait long as the looming figure entered the room moments later and took his place in his chair. Sighing, he looked around at the people crowded in his office.  
  
"I'm sure I don't have to tell you what an unusual situation this is," he began, running his long fingers through his white beard. "It is certainly unique. However, we will deal with it in the most appropriate way." He turned to Draco, who was paler than Brooke had ever seen him. He looked as if he had just been told that he had to kiss a snake.  
  
"Draco Malfoy. It is no surprise to me that you are involved in this mess because we have had problems in the past." Holding up his hand to silence Lucius' protest, Dumbledore continued. "I have overlooked those certain incidents," his eyes flashing at Harry, "but this time I fear you have gone too far. You have inflicted a physical condition on another person, something that cannot be erased by spell, or medicinal means. I am afraid that I have no choice but to expel you."  
  
"Hold on a minute!" said Lucius, standing. Everyone else, who looked satisfied at Dumbledore's decision, swung their heads upwards to Lucius. "My son did something wrong, yes, but instead of expelling him, wouldn't it be more fit to treat this as an old-fashioned family would?" A twisted grin spread across his face and Brooke's stomach lurched.  
  
"No," she whispered, shaking her head violently. "No, no, no, please no." Harry looked at her questioningly but kept sneaking glances at Lucius.  
  
"What do you propose we do, Lucius?" Professor Dumbledore asked quietly, for he, too, knew what was to come.  
  
"Why don't we have them get married?" Lucius held his hands out as if it were the most obvious answer to their solution. Brooke buried her head in her hands and Harry soothingly held her hand, glaring at Draco. Draco, who had been looking so forlorn a minute ago, was grinning smugly, in the same manner as his father.  
  
Shane was silent for a moment and his wife tugged at his arm. "No, Shane," she whispered urgently.  
  
"Miranda, stop that." Shane turned to Lucius. "I know what you're after, Malfoy, and it isn't going to work. You don't think that's the best solution; you just want your son to get a cut share in my family's wealth and power. Well you can forget it because my daughter is not marrying your son."  
  
Brooke lifted her head and managed a weak smile at her father. Suddenly overcome by a bout of sickness, she fled the room and down the hallway to the nearest washroom where she emptied the contents of her stomach, then slouched down against the wall, taking deep breaths to calm her stirring mind.  
  
Marry Draco? What a joke that would have been. Everyone in the school knew that she and Harry were going to get married one day; there was no room for Draco in the picture, baby or no baby. She felt her stomach and for the first time, it actually occurred to her that there was a life inside of her. There was a child within her, depending on her every move. She had to be careful. No more flying lessons, no more potions testing in Potions class. Everything she did had to be calm and relaxing.  
  
The door opened and Brooke's mother entered. Looking around, she smiled to herself. "It's been a while since I've been in here," she said thoughtfully. Brooke smiled, almost forgetting that her mother and father attended Hogwarts years ago, at the same time that Harry's parents did. Sitting down on the floor in front of her daughter, Miranda took Brooke's hands in hers. "You'll be happy to know that Dumbledore has agreed to let everything be," she said in a careful tone, almost as if she wasn't sure what her daughter would really think. "He thinks that it would be better for everyone if everything was left as it was. And anyone that thinks otherwise, and voices their opinions on what happened between you two will get a good suspension."  
  
Brooke just nodded, feeling listless and tired. "I think I'm going to go lie down for a while, Mum," she said, feeling bad that she couldn't spend more time with her parents. It was a rare day when her mother and father, together, found the time in their busy schedules to visit her at school. Nodding, her mother stood up and hugged Brooke.  
  
"We'll be in touch soon," she said and Brooke went off in search of Harry and then for a long nap.  
  
The next few weeks went smoothly. Brooke's morning sickness decreased and after a few months, her strange appetite cravings began. Ron found this incredibly fascinating and the two of them would sit for hours and gouge themselves on food from the kitchens.  
  
No one made any comments to her condition although some of the students gave her sympathetic looks, or supportive comments. Draco lost his smug look and walked around the hallways, usually alone, looking lost and dejected. His pitiful state wasn't enough to warrant sympathy from other students and many walked by muttering rude and hateful comments, or shooting angry looks at him.  
  
In the middle of Brooke's fifth month, Harry received a frightening letter from his godfather, Sirius Black. In hiding for the past three years, Sirius and Harry corresponded often. But this letter was unusually frightening.  
  
"Harry, there is danger approaching. I have sent a similar letter to Professor Dumbledore, warning him of the impending doom. You must stay calm and stay in sight of at least one professor. Never go anywhere alone. That is important! Please listen to me, Harry. I will be there as soon as I can. Be safe. Love, Sirius." Harry's voice was full of confusion and tension by the time he finished reading Sirius' letter to Ron, Hermione and Brooke one Wednesday morning at breakfast. He read the letter to himself again and looked up at his friends. "What do you suppose that means?"  
  
Unable to give him answers, the three friends shrugged their shoulders. Afraid for Harry, Brooke mentioned that he should go talk to Dumbledore. "After all, Sirius did say that he sent a similar letter to him."  
  
Harry agreed, but only after that day's classes. The morning went smoothly, but by the time the afternoon rolled around, things started to get out of hand. Terribly out of hand. Harry was still unsure what Sirius' letter meant and he was worried. Brooke was feeling more tired and sluggish than ever and to top everything off, Harry confided in her that he awoke that morning with his scar aching. "That only ever happens when Voldemort is near," he said in a hushed voice. All these things added up against Brooke so halfway during their Care of Magical Creatures class, when Malfoy made a comment about breeding two of the animals that they were studying, it rubbed her the wrong way and she lashed out at him. The argument ended in her punching him square in the jaw and Malfoy in the hospital wing. Hagrid, not sure what to do with Brooke, was shocked when she said, "I'll go see Professor McGonagall; you don't have to take me."  
  
Storming down the hill towards the castle, she noted to herself that the sunny, warm morning weather had disappeared and dark clouds were rolling in. It looks as if it might rain today, she thought to herself. Almost immediately, a force knocked her on to her back. Feeling as if she were falling, she gripped the ground, to keep from sliding. She heard the screams and cries from her fellow classmates behind her. A tremendous shaking rumbled through the earth and then everything went black.  
  
When she opened her eyes again, she saw Harry leaning over her. A look of relief swept over his face when she opened her eyes. "Thank God you're okay!" he cried. "I thought we had lost you there." Helping her to her feet, Brooke realized that they were in the Forbidden Forest.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, groggily, rubbing her head. Harry shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. When I woke up, we were here." The two of them walked hand in hand through the mass of trees and brush, searching for others. The only other person they found was Draco Malfoy, who was stumbling through the trees, too.  
  
"I'm not walking with you two," he snarled at them, speeding ahead of them. But a sudden howl from the distance forced him back to them. "Then again, maybe it's a good idea if we stick together." Sharing a secret smile, Harry and Brooke pushed ahead of Draco, causing him to fall behind them. Every little sound making them jump, they made their way through the forest, finally coming to a cliff.  
  
"Where did that come from?" Harry muttered to himself, going to inspect it. "It wasn't here before. Well, I've never seen it, in the whole six years I've been here."  
  
A popping noise behind them made the three teenagers turn around. Draco's eyes widened in fear as he realized what he was seeing. Voldemort rose above them, slowly descending upon the ground. His robes fluttered around him and Harry grabbed Brooke close to him.  
  
"Hmmm," Voldemort muttered. "I only wanted you two," he pointed to Harry and Brooke, "but I'll take you, too." He nodded at Draco. "You're Lucius' son, aren't you?"  
  
Draco, speechless, turned and tried to run from Voldemort. He got no further than Harry's outstretched arm before Voldemort began to roar. "Too many times, Potter, you have escaped me. Too many times, and finally I will finish you. Here and now. No more games, Potter, you are gone!" He raised his wand and Harry stepped forward. Almost out of puzzlement, Voldemort let his wand drop and questioned Harry's actions.  
  
"If I'm going to die," Harry began, "I want you to leave these two alone, perfectly unharmed."  
  
"Harry, forget it," Brooke cried, near tears from fright. Everything was happening too fast. "If you die, I die. I'm not going back without you!"  
  
"To hell with you both!" Draco cried. He ran for the other side of the forest but a cry from Voldemort rang out.  
  
"Hold it!" He raised his wand and pointed it at Draco, yelling nonsense curse words. Acting quickly, Draco pulled the nearest thing he could find in front of him: Brooke. The beam of light from Voldemort's wand hit Brooke in the abdomen and she doubled over in pain. She collapsed on the ground, holding her stomach in pain. Blood surrounded her. Harry rushed to her side, but knew that the baby was beyond help.  
  
Voldemort closed in on Draco, ignoring Brooke's cries. "Your father abandoned me," he hissed at the boy, who was backing dangerously close to the edge. "Lucius left me when I needed him most. You will pay for his mistakes, boy. Let this be a lesson to your father." He raised his wand, but Draco's foot slipped on the edge and he towered for a moment, a shocked expression on his face, before tumbling off the edge. Looking down, Voldemort saw that he was hanging on to the side of the cliff by the roots of a broken down tree. Laughing maniacally, Voldemort aimed his wand again. "No escape," he muttered.  
  
Maybe it was Fate; maybe it was a coincidence. But Draco reached up and pulled the hem of Voldemort's robes down at the same time Brooke tried to push Voldemort from behind. She had managed to move her way over to the edge of the cliff on the ground. Still clutching her stomach with one hand, she pushed and Draco pulled, sending Voldemort off into the air and letting their hands collide with one another. Draco began pulling on her arm, trying to lift himself up. Brooke lay with her eyes closed, stuck in moral debate.  
  
Do I let him fall? she questioned. He took my innocence, got me pregnant, made all our lives a living hell, and then used me as a shield and killed my baby. Wincing from her decision, ignoring Harry's cries to worry about herself, she regretfully pulled Draco to safety up on the ledge. Harry sighed deeply, then ran to get help. Brooke winced once more and disregarded the mixed look of pity and gratefulness from Draco. The pain too much to bear, she passed out. 


	4. Once Upon A Time

It was several days before Brooke awoke in the hospital wing. Harry, Ron and Hermione surrounded her bed, sometimes staying the night, with Madam Pomfrey's permission, of course. Visitors dropped by every so often with flowers and other little gifts.  
  
When Brooke awoke, four days after the whole ordeal, she was shocked to find Harry sitting at her side. Tears were dripping down his face onto her blanket and he hadn't yet realized that she was awake. Raising her hand to his face, he let out a cry of joy and hugged her gently. "I was afraid you weren't going to wake up again!" he cried, with a mix of laughter and tears.  
  
"I wouldn't leave you," Brooke whispered in his ear, holding on tightly to him. Pulling away, her face fell and she said, "I lost the baby, didn't I?" It was more a statement that it was a question.  
  
Sadly, Harry nodded his head. Tears once again formed in his eyes and it occurred to Brooke that maybe Harry had been willing to accept the baby as his own. "I'm so sorry, Brooke."  
  
She turned away from him, tears forming in her own eyes. She knew that the loss was great but also maybe for the best. Things always happened for a reason; it was Fate that decided the paths that lives would take. There was a reason that Brooke lost the baby. Perhaps it just wasn't time. Or maybe it was the fact that she was only sixteen and still had the majority of her life ahead of her to enjoy before she had children. She knew that the time would be right soon; it just wasn't then.  
  
Six days later, Brooke was back in class, under a strict warning from Madam Pomfrey of no rough play or difficult tasks. Emotionally, she wasn't allowed to be upset in any way.  
  
It was a sunny day when Brooke sat outside by the water with Harry by her side. Entangled in each other's arms, they recalled past memories that they have shared. "Brooke," began Harry, "I hope you realize that I love you and although I'm only sixteen, I want to spend the rest of my life with you."  
  
Brooke smiled and softly kissed Harry on the lips. "I love you, too," she whispered. The two of them looked out upon the water and the sun reflecting on the surface. From behind them, Hogwarts rose high above all else, mirroring itself in the water. Brooke smiled to herself; indeed, everything was only a matter of time. 


End file.
